Ottawa County was established in 1866 deriving its name from the Indians that were native to the region. Located along US-81 six miles north of I-70 in North Central Region of Kansas, Ottawa County consists of 720 square miles. Ottawa County has a population of 6,177 based upon the 2003 census estimate. The county seat of Ottawa County is the city of Minneapolis. Farming and ranching provide the backbone of the local economy with manufacturing taking advantage of access to availability of two major interstates.

The Ottawa County Courthouse is open from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon and from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday except holidays designated by the Board of County Commissioners. The Treasurers Office stops processing all transactions at 4:30pm.